Belarus accuses Ukraine of military buildup amidst rising border tensions
The Belarusian Ministry of Defence alleges that Ukraine is amassing forces near the Belarusian border. The regime of Alexander Lukashenko, the unrecognised president of Belarus who provided Belarusian territory as a launchpad for the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has accused Kyiv of "preparing to infiltrate saboteurs" into Belarus.
Alexander Lukashevich, Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Forces of Belarus, cited by Belta, claims that there is "increasing tension on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border." According to Lukashevich, Ukraine is allegedly moving troops and military equipment to the border, has deployed electronic warfare surveillance systems, and is actively using drones that "periodically enter Belarusian territory." The Belarusian Ministry of Defence believes this may indicate preparation for "infiltration by saboteurs" into the republic.
Meanwhile, the Belarusian Border Committee asserts that fighters of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDC) are actively scouting areas near the Belarusian border. On June 26, Belarusian border guards reportedly forced a drone to land 150 meters from the border.
Ukraine has already responded to these accusations from Minsk. The Ukrainian Centre for Countering Disinformation stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces pose no threat to Belarus; rather, the threat to Ukraine comes from Belarusian territory. The agency noted that for the past week, Russia has been spreading various kinds of disinformation, which Belarusian border guards have been acting on. The objective is to draw as many Ukrainian forces as possible to this direction from the front by escalating tensions. "Any information about our activity on the border is a lie," stressed the Centre for Countering Disinformation. The agency added that there are Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups on the Belarusian side, but no forces capable of invading Ukrainian territory.
Last week the Belarusian army initiated a snap combat readiness check on the border with Ukraine. The drills were conducted in the Gomel and Brest regions. Meanwhile, Poland and the Baltic states announced plans to build 700 kilometers of fortifications on the border with Russia and Belarus.